About Cape Wired
Founder-led ecommerce support built on direct operating experience
Cape Wired helps product-focused South African businesses build stronger Shopify stores, improve ecommerce SEO and strengthen their visibility across AI-assisted search. Clients work directly with the founder from the initial review through implementation.
Meet the founder
Ecommerce advice shaped by the realities of owning and operating stores
I started working with Shopify in 2014 while building TENGA UK as a direct-to-consumer ecommerce business. That experience covered far more than website design. It included catalogue management, fulfilment, customer service, organic acquisition, conversion, reporting and the day-to-day decisions involved in growing a product-led business.
Since then, I have built RUNESILK, acquired and rebuilt LowCostBeer, migrated stores from WooCommerce and developed extensive ecommerce SEO and content systems. Cape Wired brings that experience together into focused Shopify, SEO and GEO support.
The aim is not to recommend the most complicated solution. It is to understand the commercial problem, prioritise the work that matters and implement it in a way the business can maintain.
Ecommerce background
Experience across launch, growth, migration and ongoing operation
Cape Wired’s recommendations are informed by businesses at different stages, from launching specialist products to managing large catalogues and rebuilding an established ecommerce operation.
TENGA UK
Building a D2C business from launch to exit
TENGA UK began on Joomla before moving to Shopify. The business grew to approximately £300,000 in annual revenue as a solo-operated ecommerce business and was later sold to the global manufacturer.
- Shopify migration and storefront management
- Organic acquisition and content
- Operations, fulfilment and customer support
- Commercial growth and eventual sale
RUNESILK
Developing a specialist product brand
RUNESILK provided first-hand experience of product development, positioning, Shopify implementation, Amazon launch activity, ecommerce SEO and answer-focused content.
- Custom Shopify Liquid sections
- Product and collection optimisation
- Problem-led content clusters
- SEO and AI visibility measurement
LowCostBeer
Rebuilding a complex large-catalogue store
LowCostBeer involved acquiring an existing operation, moving away from a slow WooCommerce setup, addressing legacy malware concerns and rebuilding a frequently changing catalogue on Shopify.
- WooCommerce to Shopify migration
- Catalogue restructuring
- Legacy malware remediation
- New product and merchandising models
The Cape Wired model
Specialist support without a large-agency structure
Cape Wired is deliberately founder-led. This keeps communication direct and connects the strategic recommendation to the person responsible for implementation.
Projects are scoped around the actual store, catalogue and business problem. Some require a focused review. Others need a full build, migration or longer implementation programme.
Direct communication
You discuss the project with the person reviewing, planning and carrying out the work.
Strategy connected to delivery
Recommendations take account of what can realistically be implemented within the platform, budget and internal resources.
Clear project scope
Deliverables, exclusions, responsibilities and pricing are agreed before implementation begins.
Specialists where justified
Trusted specialists may support defined technical or creative requirements, with Cape Wired remaining directly involved.
Working principles
Practical, maintainable and commercially grounded
Clarity over jargon
Technical issues and trade-offs are explained in clear commercial terms so decisions can be made with confidence.
Implementation over theatre
Audits and strategies should lead to prioritised action, not a long list of disconnected recommendations.
Maintainability matters
Shopify work should remain editable and as upgrade-friendly as the theme and project requirements allow.
Claims need evidence
Results are qualified by source, timeframe and limitations. Cape Wired does not guarantee rankings, revenue or AI citations.
South African focus
Built for product businesses in Cape Town, the Western Cape and across South Africa
Cape Wired’s South African site is focused on the realities of local ecommerce, including ZAR pricing, local and national delivery, payment options, mobile shopping and South African search intent.
Projects can be delivered remotely across South Africa, with a strong emphasis on supporting ecommerce SMEs, founders and independent brands in Cape Town and the Western Cape.
Work directly with the founder
Discuss your Shopify, ecommerce SEO or AI visibility project
Share your website, catalogue size, location and the main issue you are trying to solve. Cape Wired will review the context and recommend an appropriate starting point without forcing the work into a generic package.